World Meeting of Families 2022—Opening Night Session
June 23, 2022
Jude Hennessy, Family and life
Reflection by Australian delegates Margaret and David Hill
We were amazed at the bravery of the families who presented testimony during the Festival of Families addressing his Holiness Pope Francis. The honesty of their testimony, notwithstanding the fact that they were not examples of “perfect” families, was unexpected and therefore showed the fact that marriage and family life is a “complex reality” (as described by Cardinal Kevin Farrell and Pope Francis). This shows that the Church is aware of the reality of the world today.
Through listening to these families, the pope gave them (and families like them) the dignity of being heard. For us as witnesses to this encounter, we share in the reality of some of the circumstances presented. However, the message that came through was that courage, forgiveness and prayer all play a role in dealing with the challenges of modern life.
The pope highlighted that we are limited—we can’t do it alone—but God helps us. And the family unit is key in providing this help. He also shared that the Church should be like the Good Samaritan, welcoming those who need our help despite their imperfections.
Forgiveness is about curing wounds, it is a gift of grace. The Holy Spirit can transform our lives so we can transform the world!
In referencing the family hosting the Ukrainian refugees, the Holy Father noted that welcoming is a gift from heaven. The example of this family is inspiring as they are opening their hearts and home even though it is a real sacrifice.
One quote that really struck us today was from Chiara: “God puts the truth in each one of us and it is impossible not to understand it.”
Margaret and David Hill are from St Luke’s Catholic Parish Revesby in the Archdiocese of Sydney and have been married for 25 years. They have three children.
You can watch a replay of the Festival of the Families Opening Night Session below:
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Our diocesan logo is theologically rich and very succinct. As a hand, it depicts our mission as a diocese and as individuals within the diocese, of bearing (bringing, carrying) Christ’s love to one another and to the world around us. In this, we are the hand of Jesus Christ, and we are offering ourselves to him so that he might work through us.
We can be the bearers of his love only as a response to his call and in the strength of his grace. We are reminded of this in two ways—through the symbol of the dove (the Holy Spirit) also present in the logo, and by the incorporation of the cross that segments the logo. The presence of the cross is a reminder that bearing the love of Christ will inevitably cost us if we live it authentically. However, in the way that the Cross is the portent of redemption and life—an echo of the tree of life in the book of Genesis—so becoming bearers of the love of Christ will also bring us to life.
The four fingers of the hand also represent the four regions of our diocese. The first is bluerepresenting the beautiful water of the Shoalhaven. The second is a blue and green combination representing the waters and escarpment of the Illawarra. The third is greendepicting the hills and plains of the Macarthur. The fourth is dark green illustrating the forests of the Southern Highlands.
